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Photographer, Belleview public works official died in zombie-movie plane crash

The wreckage of a small experimental plane sits near a grass strip in Summerfield on Monday.

Alan Youngblood/Star-Banner

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

Published: Monday, April 7, 2014 at 12:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 9:33 a.m.

SUMMERFIELD — The last year and a half of Joseph Sardinas' life was among his happiest times, according to Sardinas' brother, Tony.

Facts

Candelight service TuesdayThere will be a candlelight service Tuesday, April 8 at 8 p.m. at Citizens' Circle, 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala.

Organizers ask that people bring guitars, drums or other musical instruments, and also white candles.

In retirement, the 70-year-old's decades-old photography hobby led to a new passion: filming zombie movies.

It was a big departure from his more staid career as a university professor who taught information systems technology.

On Sunday evening, Joseph Sardinas and Dennis W. Monroe, 65, died when the plane they were in crashed while filming a scene of a zombie movie in Summerfield.

Monroe, the pilot, was also the city of Belleview's director of public works.

"Today, everybody with the city was devastated," Belleview Mayor Christine Dobkowski said.

Monroe was with the city for 26 years and often spoke about his joy of flying.

"Flying was his love. He would talk about it quite a bit. He was such a good man and had an irreplaceable knowledge about how the city worked," Dobkowski said.

Belleview City Clerk Sandi McKamey said Monroe was involved in everything from stringing holiday lights to major water and sewer projects.

"It's definitely a huge loss for the city of Belleview. He's just been a critical part of city operations," McKamey said, adding that the flag in front of city hall was flown at half-staff on Monday in his honor.

Monroe, 65, was flying an RV-7 two-seat, single-engine airplane that he built from a kit.

He lived on the property where the crash occurred, 1770 SE 140th St. The property included its own runway.

Janet Crandall, whose home overlooks the Monroe property, was sitting on her back porch with her husband, Warner, when she saw the plane flying low and in circles.

"We didn't know they were filming. There were like 20 cars out there, but we thought they were having a party," Janet Crandall said.

"The last time it came around the motor quit and it just dropped."

Crandall didn't know what to think at first.

"I was stunned. It took a moment to realize what had just happened," she said.

The Crandalls have lived at the home seasonally for more than 20 years.

"He was a great guy," Warner Crandall said of Monroe.

"He loved to fly. He took my grandson up when he was 4 years old back in 1992," he said.

Monroe's family did not want to talk to the media. Several television news trucks swarmed the area Monday morning.

The movie was written and being directed by Bronson Mosley. It was a follow up to "Only Another Day," another zombie film by Mosley that premiered last year.

Sardinas was also involved in the cinematography for that film.

On the movie's Facebook page, the film is described as "a film about a world gone zombie. In a two-day time span, the city of Ocala falls to an undead epidemic along with the rest of the globe."

Mosley could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday.

"It was the last major scene in the movie. They still had to shoot some other scenes, but this was the last big scene," Tony Sardinas said.

The production also included several extras on the ground in zombie makeup. Sardinas' wife, Paula, was also on the set.

"After the crash, she ran to him and tried to resuscitate him. When she couldn't, she stayed with him until medical personnel arrived. It was heartbreaking for her," said Tony Sardinas, adding that the couple had two grown children and three granddaughters.

The plane crashed just after 7 p.m. The plane remained largely intact. Both Monroe and Sardinas were killed instantly.

Late Monday morning, an investigator for the Federal Aviation Administration arrived on the scene. By early Monday afternoon an investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board also was on scene.

"He's not an inexperience pilot by any means," said Dennis Diaz of the NTSB, adding that the investigation into what caused the crash may take up to 12 months.

Monroe registered the home-built plane in 2005 with the FAA. The plane's current certificate was set to expire in December. Monroe was licensed to fly single-engine airplanes, according to FAA records.

Diaz said the NTSB will gather all available records connected to the plane. The wreckage will be taken to a secure facility, where it will be inspected. Among the evidence is footage shot by Sardinas during the crash. It was not clear if the footage included the moment of impact.

"It's just so tragic that it ended that way. He (Sardinas) was such a family man," Tony Sardinas said. "He was good guy who was always willing to help."

<p>SUMMERFIELD — The last year and a half of Joseph Sardinas' life was among his happiest times, according to Sardinas' brother, Tony.</p><p>In retirement, the 70-year-old's decades-old photography hobby led to a new passion: filming zombie movies.</p><p>It was a big departure from his more staid career as a university professor who taught information systems technology.</p><p>On Sunday evening, Joseph Sardinas and Dennis W. Monroe, 65, died when the plane they were in crashed while filming a scene of a zombie movie in Summerfield.</p><p>Monroe, the pilot, was also the city of Belleview's director of public works.</p><p>"Today, everybody with the city was devastated," Belleview Mayor Christine Dobkowski said.</p><p>Monroe was with the city for 26 years and often spoke about his joy of flying.</p><p>"Flying was his love. He would talk about it quite a bit. He was such a good man and had an irreplaceable knowledge about how the city worked," Dobkowski said.</p><p>Belleview City Clerk Sandi McKamey said Monroe was involved in everything from stringing holiday lights to major water and sewer projects.</p><p>"It's definitely a huge loss for the city of Belleview. He's just been a critical part of city operations," McKamey said, adding that the flag in front of city hall was flown at half-staff on Monday in his honor.</p><p>Monroe, 65, was flying an RV-7 two-seat, single-engine airplane that he built from a kit.</p><p>He lived on the property where the crash occurred, 1770 SE 140th St. The property included its own runway.</p><p>Janet Crandall, whose home overlooks the Monroe property, was sitting on her back porch with her husband, Warner, when she saw the plane flying low and in circles.</p><p>"We didn't know they were filming. There were like 20 cars out there, but we thought they were having a party," Janet Crandall said.</p><p>"The last time it came around the motor quit and it just dropped."</p><p>Crandall didn't know what to think at first.</p><p>"I was stunned. It took a moment to realize what had just happened," she said.</p><p>The Crandalls have lived at the home seasonally for more than 20 years.</p><p>"He was a great guy," Warner Crandall said of Monroe.</p><p>"He loved to fly. He took my grandson up when he was 4 years old back in 1992," he said.</p><p>Monroe's family did not want to talk to the media. Several television news trucks swarmed the area Monday morning.</p><p>The movie was written and being directed by Bronson Mosley. It was a follow up to "Only Another Day," another zombie film by Mosley that premiered last year.</p><p>Sardinas was also involved in the cinematography for that film.</p><p>On the movie's Facebook page, the film is described as "a film about a world gone zombie. In a two-day time span, the city of Ocala falls to an undead epidemic along with the rest of the globe."</p><p>Mosley could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday.</p><p>"It was the last major scene in the movie. They still had to shoot some other scenes, but this was the last big scene," Tony Sardinas said.</p><p>The production also included several extras on the ground in zombie makeup. Sardinas' wife, Paula, was also on the set.</p><p>"After the crash, she ran to him and tried to resuscitate him. When she couldn't, she stayed with him until medical personnel arrived. It was heartbreaking for her," said Tony Sardinas, adding that the couple had two grown children and three granddaughters.</p><p>The plane crashed just after 7 p.m. The plane remained largely intact. Both Monroe and Sardinas were killed instantly.</p><p>Late Monday morning, an investigator for the Federal Aviation Administration arrived on the scene. By early Monday afternoon an investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board also was on scene.</p><p>"He's not an inexperience pilot by any means," said Dennis Diaz of the NTSB, adding that the investigation into what caused the crash may take up to 12 months.</p><p>Monroe registered the home-built plane in 2005 with the FAA. The plane's current certificate was set to expire in December. Monroe was licensed to fly single-engine airplanes, according to FAA records.</p><p>Diaz said the NTSB will gather all available records connected to the plane. The wreckage will be taken to a secure facility, where it will be inspected. Among the evidence is footage shot by Sardinas during the crash. It was not clear if the footage included the moment of impact.</p><p>"It's just so tragic that it ended that way. He (Sardinas) was such a family man," Tony Sardinas said. "He was good guy who was always willing to help."</p><p>Staff writer April Warren contributed to this report.</p>